


About the Least Graceful Thing I've Met, but I Still Love You

by FarielUniverse, imaginaryfemaletrouble



Category: Supernatural
Genre: Alternate Universe, Bonding is a thing, Bonding marks are a thing, F/M, Gabriel Being Gabriel, I wrote this for my own selfish joy, Insecurities, Plus Sized Nic, Salamanders, Sam and Dean hire a new researcher, Sylphs, There Is a War, goblyns, undines
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-03-08
Updated: 2018-03-15
Packaged: 2019-03-28 16:58:39
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 5
Words: 7,292
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13908339
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/FarielUniverse/pseuds/FarielUniverse, https://archiveofourown.org/users/imaginaryfemaletrouble/pseuds/imaginaryfemaletrouble
Summary: Sam and Dean ask Nic, the daughter of one of Bobby's former friends, if she wants to be their traveling researcher.  She agrees, and Gabriel seems to enjoy bothering her.  ALL. THE. TIME.  Normally, it wouldn't be too much of an issue, but Nic's attraction to the archangel and insecurities about herself make it all... complicated.So when Nic's friend and fellow hunter, Ren shows up, she's relieved.  That relief doesn't last long when both girls end up with strange marks, and have to help the Winchesters save the world.





	1. Chapter 1

Chapter 1: Lemondrop

 

            Nic really couldn’t remember the last time she went anywhere without the boys.  Well… Yes, actually.  She could.  She used to live a normal life… to an extent.  Her mother, Gwen, was a hunter, but she wasn’t.  At least, she didn’t do what she considered “field work.”  Her mother hunted with a group of friends, and she stayed on call to do any research or handle any sort of informational support.  Her fascination with mythological lore as a child definitely helped.  Bobby Singer was a close friend of Gwen’s, and that’s why Nic showed up at his house two weeks after her mother died while hunting vampires.  She was, naturally, heartbroken.  But, at the same time, her mother was gone often, so adjusting to life without her was easier than it would be for some. 

 

              It was there, sitting at Bobby’s kitchen table and reminiscing about Gwen, that the Winchester brothers first saw her.  Dean loudly asked Bobby who the hell she was, and Sam elbowed him sharply in the ribs.  Over the next couple days, the boys worked a hunt with Bobby, and Nic offered her knowledge in all things lore.  When Sam asked her if she’d come with them to be their researcher during hunts, she agreed. Ever since then, she traveled with them from motel to motel, sitting in a room adjacent to the Winchesters’ in front of her open laptop.  It felt good to be useful, especially since her mother no longer needed her.

 

              While acting as chief researcher for the Winchesters, she was able to meet quite a few “heavenly” folk.  Castiel, she liked.  He was polite for the most part, although sometimes his lack of know-how in human social cues made him awkward.  Still, he was quiet and helpful.  He also took her advice about a lot of hunts, which may have stroked her ego a bit.  At one time, Raphael tried kidnapping her.  Luckily, the Winchester’s taught her the symbol for expelling angels, and drawing it was the first thing she did when they entered a new motel.  She didn’t like being caught unprepared.  She hadn’t seen Raphael again, and Castiel she only saw occasionally.  Gabriel, on the other hand, showed up more often than Nic would have preferred.  Usually, while she was researching.  He pestered her almost constantly, and his near constant use of sweet-related endearments drove her up the wall.  Which, in her case was impressive, considering she was a size 28 with none of Spiderman’s abilities. 

 

              Today, Gabriel seemed content to sit directly next to Nic, head literally on her shoulder, watching as she scrolled through an article about nymphs.  His hair kept tickling her cheek and he audibly crunched chocolate covered almonds in her ear. 

              “Gabriel, do you mind?”  Her irritation was obvious enough that even Castiel would have been able to sense it.  Gabriel tilted to look at her.

              “Not at all, Lemondrop.  Your shoulder is perfectly comfy enough.”  He’d taken to calling her Lemondrop even though she argued.  He explained that it was perfect for her.  She was just as much bitter as she was sweet.  Although, to him, Nic was pretty sure she was one hundred percent bitter.  He just chose to ignore it.   

              “Gabriel, you’re annoying me.”  She shrugged her shoulder from beneath his chin, and he pouted in response.

              “Come on, Lemondrop, I’m not even doing anything.  I’m just sitting here, silently I may add, while you finish doing whatever it is you’re doing.  Isn’t that what you want me to do?”  He crossed his arms in front of his chest with a cock of his head.  Nic sighed and turned back to her laptop. 

              “Fine, but don’t keep eating those stupid almonds.  They’re too loud.”  With her shoulder back in reach, Gabriel wasted no time in settling his chin on it.  She tensed a moment.  The truth was, despite how mind-numbingly annoying Gabriel was, she found him attractive.  For some reason she had yet to determine, she was intrigued by his dumbly-styled hair and sarcastic, boyish smirk.  She had noticed a slight change in his behavior.  He was being less openly persistent in distracting her.  But having him so close, even if he wasn’t trying to get her attention away from her task, had her so anxious she didn’t even know what she was reading anymore.  She pushed back from the table forcefully.  “I think I need a break from this for a while.” 

              “Perfect!”  Gabriel clapped once and jumped onto one of the beds.  He raised up one hand, ready to snap.  “Shall I provide snacks?”

              Nic shook her head and stood, padding in socked feet towards the bathroom. 

              “I think I’m gonna shower and take a nap.”  Hunting with the Winchesters meant there wasn’t much opportunity for sleeping eight full hours a night.  She figured she should use what free time she had to rest up a bit.  Who knew when they would be leaving?  Gabriel lounged on the bed, hands behind his head.  She glared at him over her shoulder.  “Which means make yourself scarce for a few hours, Gabriel.” 

              “Alright, alright.  I’ll come back later.”  With a flutter of wings, he disappeared.  Nic sucked in a deep breath and pulled an oversized gray t-shirt, maroon panties, and little, cloud covered pajama shorts from her duffel bag.  It was her usual outfit for sleeping.  At home, she would wear it more often, but she was a little nervous around the guys.  Overall, Nic was comfortable about her size.  She was well proportioned for a big girl, and even she was obsessed with her own thighs in leggings.  But, in certain situations, insecurity crept up on her.  Exposing her bare thighs and calves to the guys and angels usually in company was one that recently presented itself.  She took about fifteen minutes in the shower, washing her hair and clearing her mind.  She dried off, got dressed, and slipped under the blankets of the bed furthest from the motel door.  It didn’t take long before she drifted off.

 

 

 

              Nic woke to the sound of humming.  Remembering she was alone in the motel room, she shot up quickly, turning to the sound.  Gabriel sat on the opposite bed, remote in hand, flipping through television channels. 

              “What the heck, Gabriel!?  I told you to leave.” 

              The archangel glanced sideways at her with his signature smirk. 

              “Actually, you told me to leave for a _few hours_.  I did, and then I came back.” 

              Nic looked at the clock next to the motel bed.  It was nearly six in the evening.  She’d been asleep for about three hours.  Her phone buzzed from the opposite side of the room.  She worried it was something important, like the boys needing her help, so she threw the blankets off and groggily went to grab it.  Gabriel wolf whistled.

              “Nice legs, Lemondrop.” 

              Nic froze.  She’d forgotten that she was in her sleep shorts.  A blush tinged her cheeks and she was thankful she wasn’t facing him.  She snatched her phone, put on her best irritated face, and hurriedly made her way back to the bed.

              “Oh, shut it, Gabriel,” she mumbled.  Checking her phone, she saw that her only notification was a promotional email from some cookie place, so she tossed it down on the sheets.  Gabriel turned on his side to face her and propped himself up on his elbow. 

              “Tell me, Lemondrop, how come you don’t wear those shorts more often?” 

              “Because they’re for sleeping.” 

              “Just sleeping or for other bed-related activities.”

              “Just sleeping, you idiot.” 

              Gabriel chuckled and went back to watching tv, while Nic sank down beneath the blankets again.  She covered her face with a pillow and groaned. 

              “That doesn’t sound like _just sleeping_ , Lemondrop.”

              “Shut up.” 


	2. Chapter 2

             Chapter 2: No Sweets for Breakfast

 

              The trees on either side of the road melded together as Nic sped down the highway behind Dean’s Impala.  One of her conditions for joining the Winchesters was that she be able to drive her own car.  A gold Jeep Grand Cherokee.  Nothing too fancy, but it was the one she’d had since she was sixteen.  Her mom helped pick it out. 

              “Hey, Lemondrop.  How’s the drive?” 

              Nic didn’t even bother to look over in Gabriel’s direction.  She was used to him popping up during drives.  Admittedly, the first few times, she nearly ran off the road.  She combed a hand through her loose, amber hair.

              “The drive’s alright, I guess.  Why do you care?”

              “I wanna zap us there.” 

              “Absolutely not, Gabriel!  Zapping us there means leaving my Jeep behind!”  Nic reached over with her right hand and smacked the archangel on the shoulder.  Hard.  He flinched and held his hands up.

              “Easy there, Lemondrop.  No zapping.  Got it.”  He leaned the seat back and covered his eyes with an arm.  “Let me know when we get to Springfield.” 

              Nic rolled her eyes and turned her attention back to driving. 

 

 

 

              Four hours later, around one in the morning, Nic was unlocking the door to her motel room.  The walls were a mustard yellow color and the curtains and bed set were brown with leaf patterns.  She dropped her duffel bag onto the floor, trudging over to the bed.  Normally, Sam and Dean rented her rooms with double-beds.  Mostly, because that’s what was next to theirs.  This time, however, this was the last room the motel had other than the Winchesters’.  It wasn’t a big deal, really.  She was one person and only slept in one bed.  Sam and Dean threw a fit.  They were worried about her protection.  It took a half hour for Nic to reassure them that she was only five rooms down and she’d be fine.  The rustle of wings caused her to turn her head and look.  Of course, there was Gabriel, waggling his stupid eyebrows at her. 

              “What do you want now?”  She kicked her shoes off and rolled over onto her back.  Gabriel sat himself down cross-legged on the floor. 

              “I’m on Lemondrop guard duty.”  There was a gleam in his eye.  “Tweedle dee and Tweedle dum asked me to keep an eye on you tonight.” 

              “And you told them you would?”

              “Well, I told them it wouldn’t be an issue considering I keep a _very_ close eye on you every night.”  He winked and Nic sat up with a jerk.

              “You WHAT!?” 

              “Kidding, Lemondrop.  I’m kidding.” 

              Nic laid back down, spreading her arms out to either side of her.  After a moment, she sighed.

              “Did they really have you keep watch on me?” 

              “Fraid’ so.”  Gabriel chuckled under his breath.  “I have to admit, Lemondrop, I’m kinda excited to see you in those tiny sky shorts again.”

              Nic pulled a pocket knife from her hoodie pocket. 

              “Gabriel I will slice my hand open and send you back to Heaven if you aren’t real careful.” 

              The archangel clicked his tongue.

              “Lemondrop, I’m a divine and powerful entity, remember.  I’m quick.  I’d have that knife before you even had the chance to open it.”  He stood.  “You wanna give it a go?” 

              Nic grumbled and slapped the knife onto the nightstand loud enough that the clack echoed through the room.  Gabriel moved to the room’s chair, flopping himself into it.  Nic was exhausted and she really wanted to change into her pajamas, so she could sleep, but she also didn’t want to give Gabriel the satisfaction of seeing her bare legs again.  He was teasing her enough as it was.

              “Can you at least leave for a bit while I change and stuff?”

              Gabriel shook his head.

              “No can do. I’m under strict orders not to leave the room for any reason. If I do, I get trapped in a ring of holy fire.”  He propped his feet up on the edge of the bed.  “You can always just change in the bathroom. Unless you’d rather strip down for me, Lemondrop.” He winked and blew Nic a kiss.  She rolled her eyes, grabbing her stuff from her bag. 

              “Not even in your wildest dreams.” 

              “Oh, Lemondrop.  In my wildest dreams, you definitely aren’t undressing... _yourself_.” 

              Nic couldn’t help the way her cheeks heated at his statement.  She turned on her heel and locked herself in the bathroom.  After changing, she nervously slipped through the door.  She hugged herself and kept her head down as she made her way to the bed.  Gabriel must have sensed her anxiety, because he didn’t say a word about the shorts.  When Nic dared to sneak a glance his direction, she saw he was studying her intently, slight confusion in his eyes.  She got into bed and pulled the blankets up.

              “I’m gonna shut the lamps off.  Is that okay?” 

              “That’s fine, Lemondrop.  Angels are like cats.  We see in the dark.” 

              Nic laughed a little under her breath and flipped the lamp switch.  She turned on her side, facing Gabriel.  She didn’t trust him enough to put her back to him.  In the dark she could just see his silhouette in front of the streetlight glow through the room’s window.  Nestling her head into the pillow, she fell asleep. 

 

 

 

              The late morning sun shone into the room when Nic woke up.  She yawned and stretched languidly, arching her back off the bed a little. 

              “Oh, Lemondrop, you can’t do things like that around me.  It’s torture.”  Gabriel still sat in the same chair he’d been in when she fell asleep.  Next to him, on the room’s little table, sat a donut box and an apple juice bottle.  Nic pushed the blankets from her and silently made her way to the bathroom.  “Seriously, I’m growing quite fond of those shorts.”  She promptly flipped him the bird.  She changed into a pair of black leggings with a sapphire blue sweatshirt.  Once her teeth were brushed and hair pulled into a messy bun, Nic came back out and sat in the chair opposite of Gabriel at the table. 

              “What’s all this?” she asked.  Gabriel opened the donut box.  Inside were three glazed donuts and two kolaches.  She narrowed her eyes at him and he shot her an innocent smile. 

              “What?  I figured you’d want something to eat.  I know you don’t like sweet things for breakfast, so the kolaches are yours.” 

              “That’s the problem, Gabriel.  How did you know I prefer kolaches over donuts?  Have you been in my head!?”

              Gabriel shook his head forcefully, throwing his hands up in defense.

              “No, I swear, Lemondrop.  I asked Dean.” 

              Nic studied him closely.  He looked sincere enough, so she grabbed one of the pastries and bit into it. 

              “Thanks,” she said after swallowing.  Gabriel slid the bottle of apple juice across the table to her. 

              “This is yours, too.” 

              A knock on the motel room door caught Nic’s attention.  She stood and opened the door.  Sam and Dean were standing outside. 

              “Hey, guys! What’s up?”

              Dean flashed her a grin.

              “Just checking in and making sure you’re alive, Nic.”

              “Yep.  Very alive.”  She took another bite of the kolache in her hand.  “You guys coming in?” 

              Sam shook his head.

              “We’re actually on our way to do some digging.  Looks like this is probably just a skinwalker.  We’ve just gotta look for some clues and see where it’s holed up.” 

              Nic nodded, leaning against the door frame. 

              “Okay.  I was thinking of checking out some of the local shops.  See if I can find any little treasures at any of the flea markets.” 

              Dean crossed his arms.

              “Okay, but take Gabriel with you.”

              “What!?  Why!?”

              Sam put a hand on her shoulder.

              “Look, Nic, it’s not like we think it’s the best idea either.  But, for some reason, he’s willing to keep an eye on you and keep you safe for us.  He’s really the only option right now.” 

              Nic turned to the sitting archangel. 

              “We’re leaving in half an hour.”  She walked towards the bathroom to braid her hair.  “And behave yourself when we’re out.” 

              “Yes ma’am,” came his response.     


	3. Chapter 3

 

Chapter 3: Ren

 

              When they arrived back at the motel, Gabriel had a handful of bags slung on one arm.  He sidled up to Nic as she unlocked the door. 

              “You know, Lemondrop, when the ding-a-lings told you to bring me, I don’t think they meant as your personal bag carrier.”  His breath was hot against the shell of her ear, and she jerked away. 

              “You were the one that offered.”

              “I offered to hold one bag, Lemondrop.  I didn’t know you’d add four more.” 

              Nic rolled her eyes and pushed into the motel room, stilling when she saw a person on the bed.  Behind her, she felt Gabriel stiffen.  His arm moved to snake around her waist.  To zap her to somewhere he deemed safe.  She gripped his wrist, stopping him, and took a few steps forward.  The girl in the bed had golden-brown hair that hung to her shoulders.  She wasn’t as chubby as Nic, but still somewhat pudgy.  There was a fullness to her hips.  She was eating a burger, one leg crossed over the other, and watching the motel television.  On the nightstand next to her sat a fast food bag of some sort. 

              “Ren!” Nic exclaimed, rushing to the bed.  Ren looked over and grinned.

              “I’m back, bitch!”  She opened her arms, and Nic hugged her briefly.  She gestured to the bag on the nightstand.  “I brought you chicken tenders.” 

              “Naturally.” 

              Ren gestured to Gabriel with her burger before taking another bite of it.

              “Who’s your boyfriend?” 

              Gabriel snorted.

              “ _I’m_ the archangel, Gabriel.” 

              “Your boyfriend’s an angel?”

              Nic settled her hands on her hips and shook her head.

              “Gabriel’s not my boyfriend.  I suppose right now, you could sort of call him my bodyguard.”  She glanced over at the archangel.  His arms were crossed in front of his chest, and his mouth held a firm pout.  His eyes were narrowed towards Ren, distrust evident.  She turned her attention back to her friend.  “What are you doing here?” 

              “I need your help with a hunt.”  Ren crumpled the empty burger wrapper into a ball.  “And I don’t mean research.” 

              Nic blushed and Gabriel took a step forward.

              “What is she talking about?  I thought all you did was research?” 

 

 

 

              Nic was too busy applying her makeup to open the motel door for Sam and Dean, so Gabriel did.  She saw the Winchesters’ reflections appear in the mirror at the edge of the room. 

              “Hey, guys,” she said, filling in the wing of her eyeliner. 

              Next to Nic, Ren ran a straightener through her damp hair, a small trail of steam rising from the heat.  Sam furrowed his brow and looked between the two. 

              “Huh, so Gabriel was telling the truth.” 

              Dean leaned up against the wall.

              “So what kind of job requires you to make your faces up like prom?” 

              Ren scoffed and turned to look at the boys.

              “There’s a bar in town that attracts a shit-ton of demons.  I need Nic to distract while I expel.”  She turned back to the mirror, working on another section of hair.  Nic grabbed a tube of deep red, almost wine-colored lipstick.  She finished sliding it over her lower lip and disappeared into the bathroom to change.  When she came out to give Ren her turn, she was wearing black cutoff denim shorts with ripped black tights underneath and a loose-fitting, olive green sweatshirt with jagged cuts removed from the chest area.  She pulled on her combat-style boots and styled her hair into a high ponytail, so the dark amber waves hung down a bit past her shoulder blades.  Dean pursed his lips and nodded.

              “Well, that would definitely distract.” 

              Nic shook her head and laughed.  A moment later, Ren walked back into the motel room.  She wore black jeans and a black tank top with a red flannel.  She wore boots similar to Nic’s and had a leather jacket slung over her arm. 

              “You ready?” she asked Nic.  Nic slipped her phone into the back pocket of her shorts. 

              “Ready as I’ll ever be.” 

              Gabriel, who had been silent this whole time, stepped over and grabbed Nic’s forearm.

              “I don’t like this.  It isn’t safe.  You’re just a researcher, Lemondrop.” 

              Ren chuckled. 

              “You’re not serious, are you?  I mean, sure, she doesn’t do any fighting.  But she’s a really fucking good actress.  She can charm the pants off of anything.  Demons, shifters, vampires… Hell, she could probably get me in the bedroom if she put her mind to it.” 

              Nic chewed on the inside of her lip and peered up at Gabriel sheepishly. 

              “I’ve done this a lot.”

              Ren crossed her arms.

              “If you’re so worried, you guys should just come with.  That way, you can keep an eye on your precious little researcher.” 

              Dean shrugged.

              “Why not?  Not like I’ve got anything better to do.” 

              The group left the hotel room, locking the door behind them. 

 

 

 

              The bar was smoky with a karaoke stage on the back wall.  Ren and Nic walked in first.  It was smarter they appear to be alone and separate from the others.  The guys came in a few minutes later, hanging near the entrance.  Nic made her way to the karaoke stage and spoke to the man running the system.  Once the conversation was over, she stepped up onto the stage.  Def Leppard’s “Pour Some Sugar on Me” blared from the speakers and Nic didn’t miss a beat singing along.  She scanned the crowd, locking eyes with the male patrons nearest to the stage.  For a moment, she and Gabriel made eye contact.  She broke it quickly, fearing she would lose focus.  As she continued to sing, keeping the bar’s eyes on her, Ren walked the perimeter, laying salt lines in front of the windows and doors.  When Ren needed to get to the door behind the stage, Nic hopped down into the crowd.  She ran her hand across the shoulder of a man she was almost certain was a demon and winked at another.  Ren was finished just before the song wound down.  Nic stepped from the stage and led the sound system operator to a nearby booth, so Ren could plug her flashdrive in.  Through the speakers, an exorcism incantation rose in volume.  Nearly all the bar’s patrons began to screech in horror and writhe.  The system operator, obviously struggling, grabbed Nic by the throat. 

              “Devious little whore,” he spat.  Behind him, Ren appeared with a bottle of holy water.  She dumped it on his head and he released Nic.  The two girls ran out the back door, jumping the salt line.  Nic looked around for the guys but didn’t see them anywhere. 

              “They must have gone out the front,” she said.  Ren nodded, stretching her neck. 

              “We’ll catch up with them later.”  The two sauntered down the street.  “Shit, it’s been a while since we’ve done that, huh?” 

              “Yeah.  I haven’t done anything but research since Mom died.” 

              Ren stopped.

              “We should get ice cream on the way back.” 

              “Agreed.”

 

 

 

              When Nic walked through the motel door half an hour later, she came face-to-face with a thoroughly angry archangel.

              “Where were you!?” Gabriel scolded her, pacing back and forth.

              “We got separated.  Ren and I grabbed ice cream cones on our way back.”

              Gabriel cocked his head.

              “Ice cream?  I’ve been worried sick trying to find you, and you were just out for ice cream!?”  He stepped up into her space.  “Why didn’t you call?” 

              Nic shoved him back, starting to get angry.

              “Well, I’m sorry.  I didn’t know I had to check in with _you_ every time _I_ made a decision.” 

              “That’s not what I mean, Nic!”  The archangel put a hand on her shoulder. 

              “You know what, Gabriel, I’m just gonna go to-”

              “Nic, wait.”  Gabriel grabbed Nic’s hand and pulled her to him, smashing his lips into hers.  She gasped into his mouth, hands moving up to his shoulders.  She had just started kissing back, when she felt a stinging pain in her back.  Gabriel felt her tense and pulled away.  “What is it?” 

              “My back… Something’s… it stings…”  She rushed over to the room’s mirror and lifted the back of her shirt.  Gabriel followed.  Nic yelped when she saw her skin.  A mark had formed.  Long streaks of pink, scar-like skin flowed across either side of her back.  They looked a lot like wings.  “Gabriel…  What are these?”

              Gabriel swallowed nervously. 

              “I don’t believe it.”


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4: Bonded

 

              Gabriel ran his fingers down the mark on the left side of Nic’s back.  She bit her lower lip and, he jerked his hand away.

              “Does it still hurt?”

              “Not anymore.  Gabriel do you know what they are?” 

              The archangel met her gaze and nodded. His fingertips found her back once more, tracing down each of the pink, raised streaks. 

              “They’re bonding marks, Lemondrop.” 

              “Bonding marks?” 

              “Yes.  Not all angel’s bond with someone.  But, there are some that do.  When an angel bonds with a human, a little bit of their grace is left behind in the human.  The grace gets sealed in what we call bonding marks.  Each mark is different, specific to the angel.”

              Nic pulled her shirt back down and turned to face Gabriel. 

              “What does it mean?  For an angel to bond with someone.” 

              “Well, Lemondrop… I hate to use this term, but I guess you could compare it to mating.  But, like, for life.  Like those birds… Bald Eagles.”

              “Actually, multiple species of bird mate for life.”  Nic looked up and saw Gabriel looking at her in disbelief.  “Sorry.  Off topic.  So bonding is like mating.  And it happened when you kissed me.”  She sat on the edge of the bed, and the archangel sat next to her. 

              “Michael once told me there’s a real… looseness… with bonding.  It doesn’t need a certain action.  Our grace just does it instinctually, without our control.  I mean, we’re drawn to the person beforehand.  Just like I’m drawn to you, Lemondrop.  But, the bonding… The grace does its own thing.”  He looked sideways at Nic.  “When I kissed you, my grace must have decided to go for it.” 

              Nic was quiet a few minutes.  She played with a fraying thread on the bed’s comforter.  So she was bonded to Gabriel, now.  She wanted to know what that meant exactly.  Did that mean he _wanted_ to be bonded with her?  He said his grace did it against his will.  He also said he was drawn to her, though. 

              “Does bonding mean you’re monogamous?” 

              Gabriel furrowed his brow.

              “Huh?”  

              “Does it mean that you only want to… be with the person you’re bonded to?” 

              “Yes.”

              “And are you… okay… with that?”

              Gabriel frowned.

              “What do you mean?”

              “Are you okay with that?  With that person being me?  I mean, you’ve never exactly been the kind of guy that didn’t take up offers given by women.  And now it’s just… me.”

              The archangel cupped Nic’s chin in his hand, thumb brushing over her freckled cheek.  He leaned in, his forehead touching hers.

              “Yes,” he whispered.  His breath ghosted across her nose and mouth.  “It is just you, Lemondrop, and I am very okay with that.”

              Nic blushed darkly.  This close, he smelled like sugar cookies, and she couldn’t help but think of how fitting that was. 

              “O-okay.”  She bit her lower lip.  Gabriel’s eyes flicked down, caught by the action. 

              “Oh, Lemondrop.  I’m starting to think you’re doing these things on purpose.”  He slowly brushed his lips over hers. “If you don’t stop biting on that bottom lip, I’ll have to do it for you.” 

              Nic giggled, lips still touching the archangel’s.  She pressed in closer, sliding her lips against his and wrapping her arms around his neck.  She squeaked when Gabriel pulled her into his lap, hands on either side of her face.  He ran his tongue over the seam of her lips, and she opened for him.  His tongue entwined with hers, and she took a moment to lightly suck on it.  When she pulled back to breathe, he was grinning down at her. 

              “I need to get my pajamas on,” she said.  “It’s been a really long night.”  She slid from the archangel’s lap and walked towards the bathroom.  On her way, she stopped at the mirror on the wall, lifting the back of her shirt again.  “These marks are unique to you?  They’re yours?” 

              Gabriel watched her from the bed and winked.

              “One hundred percent mine, Lemondrop.  The marks of the greatest of all the archangels.  And the most attractive, too, if you ask me.” 

              Nic reached around and touched the edge of the right-side mark. 

              “I think they’re sort of beautiful.”  She heard Gabriel’s breath hitch as she closed the bathroom door behind her. 

 

 

 

              Nic woke up to the sound of impatient knocking.  She groaned and nuzzled further into the warmth of her pillow.  At least, she thought it was pillow before it moved.  A hand came up to pet her hair, and Nic remembered everything that happened with Gabriel the night before.  When she came out of the bathroom, she’d told him she didn’t want to take things too fast.  He seemed okay with it but did ask if he could lay in the bed with her while she slept.  Nic, being the kind of person that loved being cuddled, agreed easily.  The knocking got louder and pulled her from her thoughts.  She looked up at Gabriel. 

              “Will you go see who it is?” 

              In an instant, Gabriel was no longer in the bed, but across the room, opening the motel door.  Ren strolled in and raised an eyebrow. 

              “You’re still sleeping?” 

              Nic yawned and shoved her face into the mattress.

              “Yeah, why?” 

              “It’s past noon, dumbass.” 

              Nic shot up, glancing over at the clock.  Ren was right.  She got out of the bed, walking to her duffel bag on the floor.  Ren crossed her arms and side-eyed the archangel anxiously.  Nic noticed her friend and grabbed her clothes.

              “Hey, Gabe?”  The nickname rolled off her tongue without thought.  “Can you give us a few minutes?”  He opened his mouth to protest.  “I’ll be just fine.  It’ll just be for a few minutes, I promise.” 

              There was a flutter of wings, and Gabriel was no longer in the motel room. 

              “Thanks,” Ren muttered. 

              Nic nodded, tugging on a pair of skinny jeans. 

              “You okay?” 

              “Yeah, I’m fine.  Just about to hit the road.”  Ren sat down in a chair.  “Gotta find some more monsters to fuck with.” 

              Nic put on her favorite black sweater before sitting in the chair opposite her friend.

              “I think you should hunt with us for a while.  It would be fun.” 

              “I dunno, Nic.  I mean, I love hunting with you.  You’re my best friend.  Practically my sister.  It just feels… weird.  You’ve developed relationships with all these guys, and I don’t even know them.” 

              “Sure, I’m friends with them all now, but they’re all nice.  You’d like them.” 

              Ren snorted.

              “Pretty sure you’re more than friends with one of ‘em.”  She rolled her eyes at Nic’s look of confusion.  “Oh, please, bitch.  I went to get a soda last night, and on my way back I saw you with the _archangel Gabriel_ through the window.  Pretty sure you don’t go around sucking face with all your friends.” 

              Nic blushed, rubbing her sweaty palms on the thighs of her jeans.  She was about to tell Ren about the bonding when they heard wings rustling.  Castiel stood in front of the motel window. 

              “Hello, Nic.”  He furrowed his brow a moment before turning to Ren.  “I apologize.  I did not know you had company.”

              “It’s okay, Cas.  What’s up?”

              “I need you to get Sam and Dean and meet me at this address.”  He handed Nic a post-it note and disappeared.  Ren stood from the chair with her hands on her hips. 

              “Guess my plans have changed.  I’ll hunt with you guys a while.” 

              Nic looked up at her, puzzled. 

              “What changed your mind?”

              “Trench Coat over there’s pretty damn cute, Nic.  How come you didn’t mention him earlier?”  She winked and Nic sighed in disappointment, shaking her head. 

              “Ren…”

              “You know, I’ve never screwed an angel before.” 

              “Ren!” 

             


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5: War and Sylphs

 

              As it turned out, the address Castiel had given Nic was an isolated little cabin in Arkansas.  The angel stood out front, hands at his sides, waiting for the group to pile out of their vehicles. 

              “Thank you all for coming,” he said once they were in front of him.  “Let’s talk.”  He led them inside the cabin and Nic looked it over.  Three bedrooms, a kitchen/living area, and a bathroom.  It was actually kind of cute in a rustic way.  Dean cocked his head.

              “What’s going on, Cas?” 

              Castiel sat down in one of the wooden chairs at the kitchen table. 

              “I advise you make this cabin your base of operations for a while.”

              “Why?” 

              “We are on the verge of another… crisis.  Earth is in danger.  Beings from another dimension have chosen Earth as the battleground for a great war.” 

              “Beings?  From another dimension?”

              Castiel rested an arm on the table.

              “Yes, Dean.  Beings like the faeries you encountered some time back.” 

              Dean flopped down onto the red sofa against the back wall of the living area.  Sam sat with Castiel in the kitchen.  He leaned forward with his elbows on his knees.

              “What are these beings, exactly?” 

              “There are four races of beings, all warring for dominance in their own dimension.  They are aware that a war of such magnitude would destroy their world.  That’s why they have chosen to battle on Earth.  They would much rather destroy our home than theirs.  The Sylphs are beings of air, and the most similar to humans.  The Undines are beings of water.  Humans have told legends about them for many years.  Mermaids, I believe you call them.  The Salamanders are beings of fire.  All warriors, and skilled in fighting.  The Goblyns are beings of earth and ground.  They have been known to have a taste for… human flesh.” 

              “So, how do we keep them from using Earth as a warzone?” 

              “The Sylphs have reigned over the other races for millennia.  They have kept order in their world.  However, a recent uprising by the Salamanders has set off a chain reaction of other revolts.  The three remaining races wish to battle for the right to rule their dimension.  If we want any chance of ceasing this war, we must aid the Sylphs in regaining their control.” 

              Nic leaned against the wall, crossing her arms at her chest before she spoke.

              “And how do we help them get the upper hand again?” 

              Castiel turned to her.

              “Many centuries ago, a previous Sylph king left four weapons on Earth.  He feared an event like this would occur at some point.  The Galestone, the staff of Gomda, the Moria amulet, and the Zephyr.  If we can locate these weapons, the Sylphs can bring order back to the other races.” 

              “So we find these weapons… How long do we have?” 

              “These are intelligent races.  They will send many groups of scouts before they actually set up for war.  I would say we have close to a year.  The Sylph king, Beval, will have a more accurate time frame for us.” 

              “The Sylph king?”  Nic furrowed her brow and glanced around the room.  Everyone looked confused.  Castiel cleared his throat and stood, smoothing out the front of his shirt.

              “Yes.  I have arranged for the Sylph king and his daughters to work with us.  They will arrive tomorrow.”  He disappeared with a rustle of wings.  Dean groaned, scrubbing at his face with his hands.

              “Well, that’s just freakin’ fantastic.  Stuck in the center of a world-ending disaster… again!”  He pushed off the sofa, headed for one of the bedrooms.  “I need some sleep.” 

              Sam trailed after him, pausing in the bedroom’s doorway.

              “It might be a good idea for us all to get some rest before we start hunting down these weapons.”  He shut the door behind him, leaving Ren, Gabriel, and Nic alone in the living area.  Nic heard Ren’s stomach growl. 

              “You hungry?” she asked. 

              Ren nodded.

              “Starving.  What kind of food does this place have?”  She started to walk towards the fridge, but Gabriel cleared his throat.  The two girls looked his direction. 

              “I can literally snap up whatever food you want, ya know.”  He wiggled his hand in the air.  “Just say the word.” 

              Ren thought for a moment.

              “Chicken tenders and chili-cheese fries.  Also milkshakes.  One chocolate and one peanut butter.” 

              Gabriel snapped his fingers and the food appeared on the table.  Ren handed Nic the peanut butter milkshake. 

              “Thanks,” Nic said.  Ren smirked over at Gabriel.

              “They’re her favorite.  But I’m sure you already knew that.”  She winked, and the archangel frowned, eyes narrowing.  He tensed his jaw and sat himself down in one of the kitchen chairs.  Ren grabbed one of the bags along with her milkshake and made her way to another bedroom.  “This one’s got a tv, and I plan to make good use of it.”  She kicked the door shut behind her.  Nic sat next to Gabriel, studying his face.  After a moment, his eyes settled on hers.

              “I’m not a fan of Lady Sass-a-Lot.” 

              Nic rolled her eyes, biting into a piece of chicken.

              “That’s rich coming from you, Gabe.” 

              A smile quirked at the corner of his mouth.

              “I like that.” 

              “Like what?”

              “You calling me that.”

              “Gabe?”

              “Yeah.” 

              Nic blushed a little, looking down at her bag of food.  They hadn’t really talked about the whole bonding situation since the night it happened.  There had been too much going on, and they were in the company of the others during the trip to the cabin.  She thought about their kisses a lot, though.  And how warm he felt when she snuggled up against him that night.  A pair of lips pressed lightly to her temple, pulling her from her thoughts.  Gabriel had scooted his chair closer to her.  He slung an arm over her shoulders. 

              “What are you doing?” she asked.  The archangel sighed.

              “What does it look like, Lemondrop?  I’m being affectionate.” 

              A noise from the Winchesters’ room made Nic stiffen.

              “I don’t think we should tell the guys about this whole… bonding thing yet.”  She chewed on the inside of her lower lip.  “They’re so… wary of you.  I don’t think they’d take it well.” 

              Gabriel ran his fingers across her back.  She could feel the heat through her shirt. 

              “Good idea, Lemondrop.  Don’t wanna give them another reason to holy fire me.” 

              Nic yawned, covering her mouth with her hand. 

              “I’m ready for bed.”  She put the leftover food in the fridge and walked into the final bedroom.  “Give me a minute to change.”  She changed into her sleep shorts and tshirt.  Just as she tugged her hair down from its ponytail, Gabriel appeared at the side of the bed.  Nic slid under the blankets, looking up at him expectantly.  “Why are you just standing there?”  She scooted over and raised up the blankets for him to join her.  The archangel kicked off his shoes and climbed into the bed.  He lifted his arm, wrapping it around her back as she nuzzled her face into his chest. 

              “No goodnight kiss?” he mused.  Nic sat up quickly, pressing her mouth to his in a chaste kiss. 

              “Happy?”

              “Very, Lemondrop.” 

 

 

 

              Gabriel was gently rubbing her back when Nic woke the next morning.  The sun shone through the window, and she groaned, hiding her face against his shoulder.  He chuckled.

              “Good morning to you, too, Lemondrop.” 

              She smiled against his shirt.  His fingers carded through her hair lazily for a moment, before she remembered where they were. She jerked upright.

              “The Sylph king is coming today!” 

              The archangel nodded slowly. 

              “Yes.  I remember.” 

              “I need to get dressed.  What time is it?”  She jumped out of bed and dug through her duffel bag for an outfit. 

              “Easy there, Lemondrop.  It’s only like, eight-thirty.” 

              Nic nodded, but still grabbed her clothes.  She crossed the room to Gabriel.

              “I wanna get dressed.  Can you pop out for a bit?  I’ll meet you out there.”  She leaned down, kissing him firmly.  “And try to do it in a way that doesn’t reveal you spent the night in here.” 

              He ran his thumb over her lower lip and kissed her one more time.  He winked when they parted.

              “Fine.  I’ll be waiting.”  He disappeared from the bed.  Nic pulled her clothes on.  A “fear is the mind killer” Dune t-shirt and black leggings.  She tugged on a pair of highlighter orange socks that stopped halfway up her calf.  After a quick braiding of her hair, she made her way to the living area.  Sam and Dean sat at the table, munching on what looked like breakfast burritos.  Gabriel was lounged in the oversized recliner, watching an episode of _Dr. Sexy M.D._   Nic plopped down onto the sofa, cross-legged. 

              “This show is ridiculous.” 

              Gabriel turned and looked at her incredulously. 

              “How dare you, Lemondrop?  This is the _peak_ of television programming.” 

              Dean, around a mouthful of burrito, laughed.

              “Ya know, Gabriel _was_ Dr. Sexy once.” 

              Nic gasped.

              “What!?” 

              “Yup.  He stuck us in tv land.  Made himself into Dr. Sexy, but he forgot the signature cowboy boots!”  He shook his head in the archangel’s direction.  “Disgraceful.” 

              Nic giggled behind her hand as she imagined Gabriel in a doctor’s coat.  He caught her gaze and actually smiled at her.  Not a smirk or grin, but a full smile.  Her stomach fluttered and flipped.  She could get used to him smiling at her like that.  A noise came from across the room, and she looked over to see Ren emerging from her room.  Her hair was disheveled, and she was in the same clothes as yesterday.

              “Sleep well, Rennie?” Nic asked, snark evident in her voice.  Ren flipped her off, sitting on the sofa next to her. 

              “You guys are loud.” 

The boys chuckled, and Ren shot them a glare. 

“Good morning,” a voice came from the front door.  It was Castiel.  He scanned the group, eyes stopping on Ren.  He stared at her a moment before clearing his throat.  “The, uh, Sylph king and his daughters are here.”  He opened the door, and three of the most beautiful creatures Nic had ever seen strolled inside.  All three were incredibly thin and more than seven feet tall.  The tallest one standing at nearly nine feet.  She assumed it was the king.  They all had pale, colorless skin.  Almost like a corpse.  They’re facial features were long, with slender noses and almond shaped, gray eyes.  On their backs, they had large, membrane covered wings.  They reminded Nic a bit of a bat’s.  The only difference between the three were their hair and dress.  The king was bald and wore a long, black robe.  On his chest was some sort of ornament made with gray and white intricate beading.  The Sylph to his right wore a white sleeveless dress.  Her hair was long and shimmered silver in the sunlight through the doorway.  The final Sylph had short hair, like a pixie cut.  It, too was silver.  Her dress was a charcoal gray with sleeves that flowed past her hands into elegant trails of fabric.  The tallest of the three came forward.

“Hello, humans.”  His voice was deep and powerful.  Though he spoke gently, it nearly reverberated throughout the room.  “I am Beval, King of the Sylphs.  These are my daughters, Isaure and Canace.” 


End file.
